Arrest made in home invasion, kidnapping of 93-year-old

LAKE PLACID (FOX 13) - Police say they've arrested the man they believe robbed and then kidnapped a 93-year-old man from his own home two weeks ago.

The Highlands County Sheriff's Office says Jerry Lee Callahan Fields had only been out of jail for a prior conviction for two months when he broke into a man's home and then forced the victim to accompany to two ATMs in attempts to withdraw money. 

Deputies say a tipster identified Fields, 21, after seeing photos online of his tattoos taken at an ATM. 

Fields, 21, was arrested Friday morning at a home on Zion Street in Highway Park. He faces charges of armed burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, aggravated abuse of an elderly person with a firearm, exploitation of an elderly person and possession of a firearm by a habitual violent offender. 

The alleged robbery and kidnapping happened August 18 on Serenade Drive in Sun 'n Lake South. 

Investigators say the suspect forced his way inside the home, searched the house for valuables, and took the victim's wallet. The victim says the suspect asked where guns were kept, but he said he didn't have any.

Deputies say that's when the masked intruder took the elderly man's car keys, forced the victim out of the house, and into the back seat of his own car. They say the suspect took the victim to two ATMs, trying to get money, and then drove the victim back home. 

The elderly man suffered a minor injury on his arm when the suspect pushed him down.

In a prior case, the Highland's County Sheriff's Office says Fields was arrested in December of 2014 after he stole a woman's purse. He was arrested after using the woman's credit card at nearby businesses - including a liquor store and McDonald's.  

The victim’s stolen purse, plus another purse that had been stolen two days earlier, were found in Fields’ house. He was sentenced to five years in prison and began the sentence on January 11, 2016. He was paroled on July 7 of this year.